The 10 Best Cocoa Powders in 2023

Things to Consider Before Buying Cocoa Powder

Cacao and Cocoa

Cacao comes from the Theobroma cacao tree. The tree has large pod fruits which contain up to 60 beans within a pulp. Once the beans have been harvested, ground up and the fat removed from the ground beans, it is usually then called cocoa.

The difference between cacao and cocoa is not always clear cut though as even experts disagree as to when cacao becomes cocoa.

Some manufacturers producing unroasted or less processed cacao beans will call it cacao – possibly to draw attention to its more ‘natural’ state, while other manufactures will change its name from cacao to cocoa once it has been fermented.

Difference Between Natural and Dutch Processed Cocoa

Once cacao beans have been fermented, dried and roasted they are cracked into nibs and ground into a paste. This paste is made up of cocoa solids within an almost flavorless non-alcoholic liquor which contains around half cocoa butter fat.

The cocoa butter is extracted from the liquor to leave the solids which are then ground into a fine powder. This cocoa powder does not contain any milk, extra fats or sugars. At this point, this is a natural cocoa powder, and after this process, the powder can be sweetened or flavored, otherwise, packaged and then sold.

Natural cocoa powder can vary in color from light red-brown to dark brown and has a pH of between 5 and 6, making it acidic. It will usually be astringent with some bitterness although its flavor will depend on what cacao bean is used and also how it is manufactured.

Dutch processed or Dutched cocoa powder is washed with a potassium carbonate solution that alters or alkalizes its pH to pH 7 or neutral. Dutch process cocoa powder is usually darker colored than natural cocoa powder and its flavor tends to be smoother and more mellow.

There is a difference between the two types, so when baking you should usually use the type of cocoa powder that the recipe states, especially if the recipe includes chemical leaveners. Recipes that use Dutch process cocoa tend to be leavened with baking powder while a recipe with natural cocoa powder will usually need baking soda. If a recipe uses powder and soda, you must always use the correct cocoa as the recipe will be balancing acid and alkaline ingredients.

For desserts, sauces, puddings and ice creams, you can usually use which you prefer. Natural cocoa will usually be lighter in color whereas the Dutch processed will give more of a chocolate flavor. Some cooks will also mix the two to contrast flavor with color depth.

Hot Cocoa, Hot Chocolate and Drinking Chocolate

As well its use in baking and desserts, cocoa powder is ideal for making hot cocoa. This is made by adding either sweetened or unsweetened cocoa powder to hot milk or water. If unsweetened, then adding some sugar or sweetener to the finished drink will reduce some of the bitterness.

Traditional hot chocolate or drinking chocolate is made of small chocolate pellets that are melted before blending with milk, water or cream. This European style of hot chocolate is usually much richer than hot cocoa and may not be as popular with non-Europeans.

Most of the hot chocolate we see on our shelves is actually a hot cocoa mix, containing cocoa powder, dehydrated milk and sugar. It may also have other flavors such as vanilla or cinnamon added.

Storing Cocoa Powder

To keep cocoa powder at its best, you should put it in an airtight container in a cool place. This should allow it to keep for up to two years. Avoid keeping it in the refrigerator as the humidity can cause it to spoil faster.

Health Benefits of Cocoa

Though to be first used by the Mayans, cocoa was introduced to Europe in the sixteenth century by Spanish conquerors, and from this point it quickly became popular as a tonic for better health.

Polyphenols are antioxidants that occur naturally in cocoa, fruits, vegetables, wine and tea. Cocoa is particularly reach in these, and in specific types of polyphenols called flavanols. These flavanols are linked to benefits such as improving cholesterol levels and lowering blood pressure. Flavanols abilities to lower blood sugar levels can help improve symptoms of type 2 diabetes, although consumption of chocolate products on the whole will have a negative effect on blood sugar control.

Polyphenols are also linked with improved brain functioning, which could help reduce some risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s.

Some laboratory studies have also shown that flavanols can cause cancer cell death and help prevent cancer cells from spreading; animal studies in this area have also shown some promising results. Research between cocoa consumption and decreased cancer risk in humans is still conflicting, so much more research will be needed before conclusions can be drawn.

It is worth noting that when cocoa is processed or heated, it can lose some of its antioxidant benefit, and Dutch processing of cocoa can cause a 60% decrease in flavanols.

Heavy Metal Contamination of Cocoa Powder and Chocolate

Recent research has been focusing on the concentration of heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, nickel and chromium in cocoa and chocolate.

Scientists in Indonesia found levels of all of these heavy metals in beans from South Sulawesi, Indonesia, although the levels of these metals were below the maximum critical levels recognized by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). A review of research into metals in food also recommended that industry standards and good agricultural practices were needed to avoid contamination of food during its processing.

Some studies have shown higher risks of some health disorders in adult cocoa/chocolate consumers, and because children are generally more exposed to cocoa products than adults, they are therefore at higher risk of ingesting metals.

It is worth noting that these heavy metals are in our environment, and we are exposed to them throughout our lives. Because they are in the ground, any crops growing in these soils will contain some contaminants, particularly lead, and the amount of this in the ground can be much higher where leaded pesticides have been used previously. Cocoa and other foods can also be exposed to lead or other metal contaminants where they are stored or processed.

The FDA has been monitoring lead in food for decades, and originally issued guidance to manufacturers, importers and distributors in which it said that the FDA would consider regulatory action if candy contained more than 0.5 parts per million of lead. In 2006, the guidance changed to recommend a maximum lead level of 0.1 ppm.

A consumer-advocacy group (As You Sow) based in California had a range of cocoa products independently analyzed and found that over half of the samples had cadmium and lead levels that were above California’s state limits – which are stricter than Federal limits. From this, the group filed a law suit against a number of chocolate manufacturers.

The law suit brought by As You Sow, related to whether labels for lead and cadmium content should be placed on chocolate bars under California’s Prop 65.

In 2018, a California Superior Court judge authorized a settlement of the case. The settlement is that within three years, a joint study to investigate and report on lead and cadmium sources in chocolate would be committed to and funded by chocolate manufacturers. The findings from this will be published and the agreement would set a threshold for determining when a Prop 65 warning will be necessary for chocolate products.

Large chocolate manufacturers, including Hershey and Nestlé are involved in this, and other smaller companies who sell chocolate in California will be able to opt into the study.

Conclusion

In this article we have looked at what point cacao becomes cocoa, and perhaps, more importantly, some of the concerns around heavy metal contamination. These concerns will be on the agenda for the near future; especially around Prop 65. It is also important that we should not forget there are some health benefits of cocoa, particularly for chronic disease such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.